Broken Trust
by Moonclaw and Chance
Summary: When a new threat endangers the children sick in the hospitals, the Guardians spring into action to defend them against it. But when they find evidence, it points to one that couldn't possible done it. Will they trust in the values of that person or will they assume the worst in them? Bonds are torn, Hope is crushed and Trust is broken. Rated T to be safe. Art by Shiroi-Kibahime.
1. Attack

**_An: Alright, first chapter of my new story! Please review, that's the only way I get motivated to keep writing. Please answer the questions at the end or at least tell me what you think is going on or what you think/want to happen next. Okay, with that out of the way, onto the story!_**

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_Jack's POV_

The warmth of the fire, the background jabber of the yetis and elves, heat from the hot chocolate that my fellow Guardians were so keen on drinking and there I was, in a corner trying to contain as much of my natural temperature as I could. This party had been to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the defeat of the Nightmare King, but I couldn't bring myself or my body to participate. It was just…too…hot…

Suddenly, I felt a gentle tug on the side of my hoodie. I glanced down and saw none other than the Sandman himself; he had placed his cup full of hot coco on a table clear on the other side of the room before coming over to me. And that in itself was a wonderfully thoughtful thing.

"Thanks, Sandy." I muttered to him with a sincere smile on my face, if I was completely honest I'd have to say that a sincere smile from me meant a lot. I had learned through all of those 300 years that it was best to hide behind a fake smile then show off your true pain.

Sandy made several gestures using his hands and Dream Sand; my smile quickly disappeared as I deciphered his message. "No, I do like the party…Of course I'm glad that he is still-…Alright, you got me." I admitted and then I gestured with my staff to the fireplace and hot chocolate, "All of this heat…It's just a little overwhelming. But really, I'm perfectly fine. Just tired…"

Sandy nodded and then he made a sand image of a bed and then an arrow pointing towards it, I sighed and then replied. "I can't…Then they would think something's wrong. Maybe I just need to take a short flight." I suggested, looking to Sandy for approval. He nodded after a moment and then made a sand image of a tree with an "X," over it.

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my mouth at that, "I promise, I'll come back after my flight and I won't sleep in the tree instead." I assured him and then he sighed inwardly before allowing me to escape the personal sauna through the window. I leaped off of the windowsill and then the wind caught me just before I fell onto the ground, and I flew towards my destination, whatever it might have been.

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_Third person POV_

Sandy carefully shut the window behind the winter spirit, he brushed off his hands to sprinkle the nearby elf with the Dream Sand, serves the little bugger right for trying, once again, to steal his drink. Sandy couldn't stand it sometimes; some of these elves were rather annoying. Why North allowed them to hang around his workshop was a mystery to him. Perhaps it was because that they made pretty good sugar-based cookies, somehow they always put the perfect amount of everything into each individual cookie.

Suddenly, Sandy heard his name be called from the other side of the room. "Hey, Sandy. Can you come over here for a moment?" North called over to him, Sandy nodded and then floated over to his fellow Guardians.

Sandy made some questioning images of sand as he approached his friends, this time Bunny was the run to reply: "Oi, we are just wondering where Frostbite is. I saw him a few minutes ago and now I can't seem to find him."

Sandy was quick to calm them by using the sand images to tell them about how Jack had just gone for a simple flight, he was successful in relaxing there stress as they all seemed to let out a collective sigh.

"Oh, good. I was worried that he was going to try and freeze my Warren, but if you saw him leave then I trust your judgment Sandy." Bunny commented before taking a sip of his hot chocolate, the other Guardians gave him unconvinced looks but when he noticed they pretended that nothing had happened.

"We are going to give him his anniversary gift when he gets back, then." North said as Bunny tried to figure out what those looks had been for, Sandy blinked in surprise. How could he have forgotten about that?

In the heat of the moment, with all of the things he had to catch up on from his absence, he must have completely forgotten that the very date that Pitch had been defeated was the same day that Jack took the oath. And he still had to make his gift!

"Don't worry, Sandy. We all pulled together for his gift, is okay that you were a little busy." North told his old friend to comfort him, it worked as Sandy relaxed his scrunched-up shoulders with a relieved sigh.

But before any of them could say anything else, a sharp _beep, beep_ filled the air as a button on the globe lit up rapidly. All of the Guardians looked to the button and then North rushed over to it; Bunny was the first one to follow his friend and also the first one to speak again. "What's wrong, North?"

"There's trouble…But this makes no sense…" North muttered as his hand brushed the button, not applying any pressure to push it but instead he seemed to be studying the information on the screen above it.

"What doesn't make sense?"

North paused for a moment and then spoke, "I-It's…at a children's hospital…"

All of the Guardians were appalled, there were many things that Pitch would do but mess with the horribly ill just wasn't one of them. "He wouldn't…" Bunny gasped in shock, "Why-How could that happen?"

"I don't know but we'd better go before it gets any worse." North said before he unsheathed his swords and then he rushed towards the sleigh, Bunny yelped as North bolted past him.

"North! Wait a minute, my tunnels are faster!" Bunny shouted after him as he ran after him, Sandy and Tooth right behind him. Suddenly, Bunny remembered one vital thing. "Jack…"

Bunny activated his communicator and then shouted into it, "Jack! Jack come in! There's trouble at the children's hospital!" No answer, the only thing Bunny and the others heard was the crackle of static. "Oi, come in Frostbite!" Still nothing.

"Oh, I am so going to kill you, Frost…" Bunny growled as he regretfully leaped into the sleigh, there was no time to argue. The children were in danger again and this time they were already weak, whoever did this had crossed the line. And they would pay dearly for it.

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_**An: Okay, first thing's first. This whole story is greatly inspired by LivingAliveCreator's comic on DA, she asked me to credit her and I just did. XD Anyway, question time:**_

_**Do you believe that Jack was out taking a flight? Who or what is attacking the hospital? Why isn't Jack answering his communicator? What do you think will happen next? What do you **_**WANT to happen next?**

_**Thank you for reading and please review for more chapters! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D**_


	2. And the Search Begins

**_An: Ah, next chapter time. I must say, thank you for the follows and reviews. A special shout-out to sprinkles888 for answering the questions(Which will be at the bottom in just about all of the chapters)! :D Thank you so much and I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)_**

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_Sweet, sweet darkness…How soothing it was..._

_"Jack! Jack come in!"_

_So much for that…_

* * *

"Uh?" Jack mumbled as he woke up, he stretched out with a yawn and then felt something hit his hand. "Ow!" He yelped as he pulled his hand close to his body once more, he looked at his knuckle and then found several splinters in his hand. He looked up and then found himself in a tree, "Huh? How did I get up here?"

Jack blinked as he looked around and then he touched his communicator that lay on his right ear; once his fingers brushed it a booming voice crashed his eardrums: **"JACK!"**

"AH!" Jack shouted in surprised fear as he suddenly felt extremely light, he fell backwards out of the tree and into the nearby bushes. He groaned painfully as he lay there, he found some kind of strange amusement in watching the dots of black cloud his vision as the bright stars twinkled in their place. "What the-."

_"Jack! Is that you?"_ A voice asked from the communicator that was still lodged in Jack's ear, Jack groaned once more before touching the communicator once more.

"Bunny?"

_"Who else? Listen you lazy bum: There has been an attack on the nearby children's hospital, several of the staff have been life lighted to another hospital for gaping wounds all over their bodies. The children here are all terrified, where are you?"_

Jack blinked, that was a lot of information to take in at one time. Once he found his voice he replied tiredly, "I just woke up in a tree…"

_"Wait, so you're telling me that all of these people could possibly be dying and YOU WERE TAKING A NAP!?"_

Jack winced as he once again blasted his eardrum, "AH! Bunny, knock that off already! That hurts!" Jack cried as he tried to alter the volume on the communicator.

_"Oh, I'm so sorry…DOES THIS HURT YOUR EARS!?"_

_"Bunny!"_

_"Is enough."_

"Tooth? North?" Jack asked as he started to sit up straighter, he felt like his ear was bleeding but when he checked it was void of leakage.

_"Yes, Jack."_

_"Sandy's here too."_

_"Yeah, everyone is here but you…"_

Jack looked to the ground in front of him just as a female voice snapped back at Bunny: _"Cut it out, Bunny! It's not his fault!"_

"Thanks Tooth…" Jack muttered softly, his voice just oozing the guilt that now threatened to swallow his heart.

_"Is fine, Jack. Just try to collect yourself and meet us at the hospital, we will wait for you before we continue our search."_

"Alright, North. I'll be there quicker than a rabbit being chased by a greyhound." Jack commented, smirking when he heard the angry sputtering over the connection. He stood up, turned off his communicator and then took to the sky with all of the grace he had lacked just a few moments ago.

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"That is offensive you radioactive Popsicle!" Bunny snarled into his communicator as his fur puffed up in pure anger, "I will toss you into the furna-."

"Bunny!"

"What!?" Bunny snapped as he looked towards Tooth, he froze when he saw a young child in her arms. Tears ran down the little girl's face as she stared fearfully at him, "Oh, no…It's okay…I'm sorry ya little ankle-biter…" He whispered as he kneeled down to her level, the little girl turned away from him and sobbed into Tooth's shoulder. As she cried, ragged coughs shook her whole frame in addition to the chills she already was experiencing.

Tooth rubbed her back and stroked her hair in comfort, "Shh…It will be alright…"

"Who would have done this?" North growled as he looked around the room that they were in; blood covered the wall as well as several deep scratches that torn down the structure mercilessly.

"I don't know, but when I find them I'm gonna-."

"Guys!"

All of the Guardians turned their heads to the familiar voice, and who else would it be but the very winter spirit that had been sleeping on the job. "Sorry I'm late…What happened here?"

"That's just what we were wondering." Bunny commented as he stood up once more, he seemed to size Jack up and he even shot him an unsure glare.

"We are so glad you are here, now we can search the area for any traces of the culprit." North announced and then Jack nodded.

"Got it."

"Jack?" Tooth said suddenly, catching his attention.

"Yeah, Tooth?"

"Will you take her back to her room? Sandy might give you some Dream Sand to make sure that she thinks this was just a nightmare…Maybe the good dreams will help her feel better too." Tooth said as she gestured to the little girl still in her arms.

"Of course." Jack smiled and then he kneeled down before speaking softly and gently to the young girl, "Hey, kiddo. How about we take you back to your room?"

The girl, who had looked to him at the sound of his voice, stared at him and then suddenly cried out in terror. Jack jumped back in surprise as the little girl tried to get as far away from him as possible in the razor tight, but still comforting, grip of the Tooth Fairy.

"What did you do!?" Bunny shouted as his heart threatened to explode, Jack seemed to freeze as he watched the little girl start bawling fearfully.

"Shh…It's okay, little one…" Tooth muttered soothingly to the young girl as she shivered in her arms.

Jack inched back in shock, soon the girl's tears turned into soft sobs. Bunny stepped forward before speaking in a low voice as not to startle the girl any further, "Maybe you should take her to her room, Tooth. Sandy, will you go with her?"

To that the Sandman nodded, Bunny smiled gratefully and then looked towards North, "Why don't you, me and Frostbite here search for the security controls? Maybe then we can put a face to this crime."

"Right." North nodded and then Tooth fluttered her wings, rising above the ground slowly as to not wake the now-sleeping child in her arms.

"I guess we'll catch up with you guys later…See you then." Tooth said, she shot Jack a sympathetic glance and then she and Sandy left the trashed room and traveled down the hall.

Bunny watched them leave and then he glanced down towards the winter spirit, Jack was still staring ahead of himself, seemingly frozen in place. Bunny sighed and then touched Jack's shoulder with his paw causing him to jump and then look up to the Pooka. "It's alright, Jack…Many of the children here have seen something truly terrifying and it clearly has them still shaken up…"

Jack looked back towards the ground guiltily, "B-But…"

"No, we don't have time for you to sulk. Come on, we have to find the security room fast before the crook hits some other unsuspecting hospital." Bunny said as he walked past both Jack and North, he paused in the hallway and then swiveled his ears every which way. Suddenly, his ears stopped and then he kneeled down close to the ground in a ready position. "Bingo."

He then launched down the hallway the opposite way that Sandy and Tooth had gone, North and Jack struggling to catch the speeding rabbit through the mess of hallways. "Bunny! Wait up!" Jack called after him before he lifted into the air, he sped past North much to the Russian's discontent.

"Is not fair! Hold up I don't run as fast as I swing!" North gasped in-between breathes; Jack looked back to him and then smiled as Bunny yelled back:

"Lay off the sugar cookies then, North!"

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_**An: And I just HAD to pick on North... ^^; Anyway, question time:**_

_**How had Jack ended up in the tree? Why was he sleeping? Why was the little girl so scared? Why was she so afraid of Jack? Did Jack do something wrong? What do you think will happen next? What do you **_**WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Okay, thank you guys for reading. Please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D_**


	3. Reveal?

_**An: Okay, first things first. Please review guys and please answer the questions. They are there for a reason...So I may or may not be able to update this for a while, but I'm NOT abandoning it! Thank you guys for the follows and I hope you like this chapter! :D**_

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"Okay, I think I found-."

"OW!"

"Nice one, Frosty…" Bunny muttered as he stared down at the Guardian of Fun that was now sprawled out on the floor, his staff lying on the ground just above his head.

"I was just checking to make sure that North was catching up with us…I didn't notice the door until-."

"It was right in your face." Bunny finished his sentence with an amused smirk; Jack glared at him as he sat up while rubbing his head.

"Maybe I would have heard you if you haven't blown my right eardrum earlier…" Jack resorted just as North caught up to them.

"What is hold up?" He asked as he came close to his fellow Guardians, Bunny quickly wiped the smirk off of his face in an attempt to look more professional.

"Well, Jack and the door just shared a loving embrace. Cute huh?" Bunny commented, so much for acting professional.

Jack frowned deeply as he rolled onto his stomach before pushing himself to his knees, his eyes scanned the floor in front of him for his staff but he couldn't seem to find it. A sudden grunt alerted him to look up and, sure enough, North was there holding out the staff to the winter spirit. "Oh, thanks, North."

North nodded as Jack accepted the staff from his hands and then stood back up straight and strong, Jack placed his staff on his shoulder and then looked towards Bunny. "Well, what now genius?" He challenged sharply, a frustrated frown tugging at the corner of his lips as he seemed to stare the rabbit down.

"We get into the room." Bunny replied simply as he looked towards the door, he studied it for any imperfections that could be exploited. Meanwhile, Jack glanced down at the door and found several deep gashes in it. How had they missed that at first?

He soon brushed against the wood of the door, it was warm to the touch and Jack would have jerked his hand back from the door had North and Bunny not of been there watching him. Jack sighed and then spoke, "Whoever was here, they sure were angry…" He commented and then he stood up before addressing the two other Guardians, "I doubt we will be able to get in there…if that person couldn't then it's doubtful that we can…"

Bunny gave him a truly baffled look, "What kind of talk is that? Move out of my way Frosty." He said, shoving Jack out of his way before brushing the gashes, searching for a sensitive part in the door while Jack stood back. As he watched Bunny try to find the weak spot he had sudden sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, at first he simply blinked and then shook it off. But when the feeling returned he started to panic.

"Uh, Bunny?" Jack whispered as he looked over both of his shoulders nervously.

"Hang on, I almost found the weak spot…"

"Bunny…"

"Hold on, will ya?"

Suddenly Jack just couldn't take it anymore, "Bunny!"

"What!?" Bunny snapped, having been startled by Jack's sudden outburst.

But before Jack could reply, the feeling disappeared just as quickly as it had come. He paused as he tried to organize his thoughts but as he was thinking a word slipped past his lips, "Uh…"

"'Uh?'" Bunny questioned, obviously he wasn't pleased with almost being scared out of his wits just for Jack to have no clue what he had been shouting about. "What is it?"

"Um…Never mind…" Jack mumbled as he looked to the ground nervously, his shoulders scrunched up and his body tense.

"Oi, don't do that anymore." Bunny nearly growled as he went back to looking at the wood, as soon as he found a spot that seemed decently weak he kicked it with all of the force that he could muster. The wood shattered under his strength and only bits and pieces of the door were left hanging in the doorway. "Now that's how you make an entrance."

"I suppose that is one way…" North commented as he and Bunny entered the control room, Jack, however, stayed behind, still staring at the ground.

"Oi, come on, mate. We need your help to get into this thing." Bunny called back to his fellow Guardian.

Jack looked up in surprise and then he put on a smile, "Of course, Kangaroo." He said as he entered the room, the room wasn't very small but it was filled with several monitors that were the only source of light in it. A large control panel lay at the bottom of the largest monitor and Bunny was standing right in front of it, trying to decipher the controls and, by the looks of it, failing miserably.

"Darn advanced piece of-."

"Mind if I cut in?" Jack asked, but he didn't wait for Bunny to answer and shoved him out of the way with his staff. Now, truth be told, Bunny didn't really fight the shove so it had been rather easy for Jack to move him and then get to the controls.

"Good luck, Frostbite…Hopefully you have better luck with it."

_Beep, beep!_

Both Bunny and North looked in surprise towards the largest screen as a gentle female voice spoke out, _"Access Granted."_

"Well then…"

"Where did you learn to do that, Jack?" North asked the youngest Guardian, the winter spirit paused for a moment and then smiled.

"Jamie showed me several things with his computer; I may have practiced a bit more than I should though…" Jack laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well at least this skill has become useful; now let's see if we can pull up a still of the criminal from the security footage…" Bunny muttered as he moved Jack out of the way so that he could type in commands into the main computer.

Just then a voice came from the hallway, "Guys?"

Jack turned around and then greeted the two other Guardians that were coming down the hallway, "Tooth! Sandy!"

"About time you show up." Bunny commented as he kept typing into the computer, before anyone could say anything else the computer spoke once more: _"Match Found."_

"'Match Found?'" Tooth asked in confusion as she fluttered up next to Jack as they all stared at the screen where the words flashed on the monitor.

"Yeah, we found a still of the criminal." Bunny explained as he pressed another button, the computer beeped once more and then a dark picture showed up on the monitor.

Jack squinted to try and make out the person in the picture, but it was so dark and so blurry…

"What the-?"

"How is this of any help!?" Bunny snarled in frustration as he hit the dashboard, to which the computer simply said: _"Simply Refocus The Image. And Please Refrain From Hitting Me…"_

Bunny removed his paw from the dash instantly and then he spoke again, "Sorry…"

_"Call Me Doenx."_

"Okay, Doenx. How might we refocus the image?"

_"I Will Show You."_ Came her simple reply.

"Alright, so where do we-?"

_"If I May Suggest Something: It May Be In Your Best Interest To Search The Main Lab. I Have Record Of The Criminal Having Been There In My Database."_ Doenx suggested as she lit up one of her other screens that showed a small map that showed which way the lab was from the control room.

"Oh, in that case." Bunny then turned towards his fellow Guardians, "Tooth, Sandy. Would you mind going with Jack to search the lab?"

"Of course." Tooth replied and Sandy agreed with a few gestures while Jack just gave Bunny an almost hurt expression.

"Figures that you wouldn't ask me." Jack commented as he turned back around and then started to walk out of the room.

"Aw, come on, Jack…"

"No, no. It's fine, if the kangaroo doesn't want to talk to me than that's cool. Come on guys, let's go play with the chemical-I mean! Let's go search the lab!" Jack quickly corrected himself before dashing off down the hallway towards the main lab, Tooth and Sandy speeding after him while trying to stifle giggles at the same time.

"Alright, so…" Bunny started as he turned back towards Doenx, "Where do we start?"

_"First You Open The Image In The Editing Program Then You-."_ She then proceeded to instruct Bunny on the proper way to refocus the image, once it was finished one of the buttons on the dash flashed. _"Now Simply Press That Button And It Will Refocus For You."_

"Okay, so like this-?"

"What?" North muttered after Bunny had pressed the button, he was staring at the screen in pure shock. His eyes were wide and his body was so tense that Bunny was almost positive that his good friend and fellow Guardian had turned to stone.

"Oi, what's the matter Nor-." Bunny paused as he looked at the screen as well; his eyes went wide as well. "No way…"

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_**An: Okay, right to question time:**_

_**Why was there scratches on the door? Why was it warm? What's up with Jack? What did North and Bunny see in the picture? What do you think will happen next? What do you**_** WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Thank you for reading. Please review(and answer the questions!) and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D_**


	4. Lies

_**An: Wow, 9 follows? That means a lot guys! :D Anyway, please review**_** AND****_ answer the questions. Any guesses are welcome as well! :) Okay, onto the story!_**

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"Seriously guys? Can't we just admit that there are no clues here and then leave already?" Jack asked as he leaned up against the wall of the lab, he had his staff on his right side and was also slightly leaning on it as well as the wall.

"We've only been here for a few minutes, Jack." Tooth pointed out as she and Sandy kept searching the large lab, there were several knocked-over vials and scratches all over the walls but no fingerprints or hair samples anywhere.

"Yeah, and in those 'few minutes,' we have found nothing but broken bottles…" Jack pointed out but Tooth just rolled her eyes before searching the other side of the room, he sighed inwardly and then leaned back against the wall. Why would no one listen to him?

Jack, feeling like he should at least attempt to look like he was still into the search, glanced around to try and find a sign of anything that might resemble a clue. He paused when he saw something on the floor; it was dark and looked about the size of his palm. Granted, his hands weren't that big either…

Jack kneeled down and then picked it off of the floor, it was warm, smooth and…wet…? Jack turned the item around and then gasped as he saw that his fingers were now coated in a thick layer of blood. The red liquid oozed out of the dark object and soon filled the palm of Jack's right hand; he only just held back the urge to barf. Whatever, or whoever, this had belonged to they most likely didn't live long enough to even know what hit them.

"Poor sucker…" Jack muttered as he examined the object, he was positive that it was a scale but what it had belonged to was a mystery to him. He had to admit though, it was kind of cool.

_"Have You Found What You Wanted To?"_ A familiar female voice asked and Jack nearly jumped as he glanced around the room, trying to figure out who had said that. A soft laugh followed his spook and then the voice spoke once more, _"I Did Not Mean To Frighten You, Your Comrades Are Coming With News For You All."_

"Oh, thanks for the heads up…"

_"Doenx."_

"Right, Doenx. Got it." Jack nodded in understanding before quickly stashing away the scale in his hoodie pocket, "So, did they clear up the still?"

_"…Yes…"_

"Oh, good!" Jack smiled, completely oblivious to the pause in Doenx's speech. He absently brush his hand off on his hoodie as he kept talking to Doenx, "So, who was it?"

_"Well-."_

"Tooth, Sandy, Jack!" A voice interrupted the computer; Jack looked over towards the doorway to the lab and then saw none other than Bunny standing at the door. A piece of paper tightly locked in his grip as if it was a lifeline and his body noticeably tenser.

"Bunny! Fancy meeting you here." Jack teased as he walked over to the Pooka, Tooth and Sandy right behind him.

"Now's not the time, Frost. I need you to listen up because this is important." Bunny told him, giving him a serious look. Jack seemed to be taken aback by this, but he hid his concern behind a cocky smirk.

"Shoot, Kangaroo." He said, but Bunny didn't seem amused.

"Why don't you go search Burgess? Doenx says that she saw the criminal head in that direction, and here." Bunny then tossed a small wristband to Jack; it flashed at the winter spirit's touch and slightly frosted over. "That way Doenx can give you information on their whereabouts."

Jack glanced up to Bunny and then he spoke, "But…What about the photo? Didn't you fix it?"

To the Bunny tightened his grip on the paper, "We have to take it back to the Pole and see if the yetis can do something with it, Doenx had a hard time clearing it up."

"But she told me-."

"Just listen to me for once!" Bunny snapped, startling not only Jack but also the others. "Go search Burgess before they hurt someone you know."

"O-Okay…" Jack muttered as he turned around, he glanced back at Bunny before he walked over to a nearby window. He opened it and, with one more look back at his fellow Guardians, he took off into the sky with the help of the wind.

Once he was gone Tooth looked towards Bunny, "Why did you do that?" She asked in shock, Bunny sighed and then he held out the paper to Tooth.

"Look at the picture…" He mumbled and then Tooth took the page before looking at it with Sandy, she soon gasped and then she placed her hand over her mouth.

"No…"

"Yes…"

"But he wouldn't-."

"Look at the evidence, Tooth!" Bunny growled before he continued, "He left the celebration, right after he left we got the alarm, he didn't answer his communicator, the little girl was terrified of him, he refused to really help us look and he's on the picture!"

"I just can't believe it…He's our friend!"

"I don't like it either, Tooth…But let's face it…" Bunny said as he looked to the ground, "Jack is the culprit…"

As the Guardians altered from looking at the picture and thinking this through, two orange eyes watched them from the shadows. _'Well…This wasn't part of the plan…Oh well; at least they are off of my tail.' _ Right after the voice had finished speaking; a small dark-furred mouse crawled into the air duct and then crawled through it, scurrying as fast as it possibly could with its tiny paws. It searched the duct with its bright orange eyes and then it sniffed the air before following the scent of the fresh outside air, its tail flicking behind its tiny body.

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**_An: Okay, straight to question time:_**

**_Why were there no hair samples or fingerprints? Where had the scale come from? Who had it belonged to? Did Jack really do it? Why was there a mouse? Part of what plan? What do you think will happen next? What do you_**** WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review! :D_**


	5. Broken

_**An: Okay, please review **_**AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS! ****_Honestly, it means alot more to hear/read your ideas instead of just saying: "Good, more." I am currently working on more chapters, there should BE MORE so there's no need for that. Give me your ideas on what you think is going on and don't be afraid to ask questions. I can't promise and complete answer in case it might be a spoiler but why not try? ;) Anyway, with that out of the way: Onto the story! :D_**

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"Agh, I've search for hours. Where is this criminal anyway, Doenx?" Jack asked as he held up the wristband to his mouth, the wristband flashed softly and then the female voice came through the tiny speakers on the band.

_"I Am Restricted To Say So…"_ She admitted but Jack only frowned.

"What do you mean 'Restricted?'" Jack pried as he came to a rest on a tree branch; he was just outside Burgess where he had flown around, through and above the whole town. It would have been helpful if he knew what the culprit looked like…

_"Restricted: Being Unable To Release Information At Any Given Time/Situation/To A Certain Person Or Creature."_ Doenx explained but this only made Jack face palm.

"I know what it means…"

_"Then Why Did You Ask?"_

"I didn't mean-Agh!" Jack shouted in frustration before placing his free hand on his fore-head to stop the imaginary headache from coming, "Of all the computers, I just had to have the one with no sense of humor…"

_"Jackson…I Did Not Mean To Make You Angry…I Suppose I Could Give You The Information You Seek, If You Truly Want To Know That Is…"_

Jack decided to ignore the comment on his name, he looked back to his wristband and then spoke once more, "Alright, first things first. Who's the culp-?"

Before he could finish, a loud alarm went off in the Burgess hospital. Jack looked towards the building and then he suddenly remembered, "Sophie…" That's right! Jamie's little sister had been emitted into the hospital when she got sick with some awful illness. And now she was in even more danger!

He leaped into action, switching off his communicator; he flew towards the large building with all of the speed that he could muster.

* * *

_'Gah! Stupid tiny mouse paws!'_ The same dark-mouse from before squeaked as his fur puffed up, he then heard a scream and he looked back just in time to see a man with a broom coming right for him. _'Oh no you don't.'_ Right before the broom hit him it stopped when a hand reached out for it, the man gasped in shock as he now saw a white-haired teenager sitting in the very spot that the mouse had been just seconds ago.

"Nice try there, but I'm afraid that your luck just ran out." The teen said and then he stared into the man's eyes with his bright orange eyes, _"Now, why don't you tell me everything you know about this illness that has just come up. Maybe you have something that belongs to me?"_

But before he could get an answer he heard voices outside of the room he was in, "Jack! We know you're in here!"

"Great…Looks like it's time to disappear." The teen said and then he leaped into the air, successfully changing into a hummingbird before flying through the ducts again. He then changed back into a mouse and scented the air, "Now, let's have some fun." He cackled before skittering towards the scent of hot chocolate, his tail trailing behind him.

He paused when he heard the same angry voice from before, "Come out you coward!"

_'This is almost too easy.'_ The mouse laughed to himself before he concentrated his voice and then threw it down into the hallway where the Guardians were at: _"So, you saw my picture? I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out. Oh wait, no I'm not."_

"Listen here, Frost. We know what you're up to, so why don't you just turn yourself in and maybe we'll take it easy on you." Bunny said, the mouse was about to answer when another voice filled the air.

"Sophie! Oh, good you're alright. Hey, have you seen anything strange around here?"

Bunny narrowed his eyes and then walked towards the voice with the others trailing behind; the mouse huffed and then scurried down the vent, following the scent the whole way. The mouse stopped at the vent of a young girl's room, he saw a white-haired teen, his bright blue eyes glancing back just as a voice spoke to him.

"Get out here Frost." Bunny ordered, Jack blinked in surprise; he had been doing what he was asked to do.

"What is it, Bunny?" Jack asked as he stepped out of the room, his staff resting on his shoulder.

"Cut the crap, we know what you did and we are here to take you in." Bunny growled, Jack took a step back in shock.

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked his body tense and eyes wide.

"We know that you were the one who broke into the hospital, we don't know why but we have proof." Bunny said.

"I didn't do it! I was there with you helping you guys search the place!" Jack nearly yelled but this didn't sit well with the Guardians, mainly Bunny.

"Perhaps but you left the celebration and wouldn't answer your communicator when the alarm sounded." Bunny stated and then he turned to Sandy, "Knock him out."

Sandy looked to Jack sadly, he didn't really believe that Jack had done anything bad but he knew that maybe they could settle things back at the Pole. He readied a ball of Dream Sand and was about to toss it at Jack when a roar filled the air, all of the Guardians looked towards the sound and then Jack felt the sudden urge to run.

So he did just that, and boy did he run. He leaped out of an open window and then fled, he didn't know where he would go but he knew that he had to run. His heart ached as he realized that he had once again torn the bonds that connected him with the Guardians.

"What was that anyway-?" Bunny asked as he looked back to where Jack had been, his eyes widened when he noticed that the winter spirit had vanished. "Guys…Where's Jack…?"

"He's gone!"

"Thank you for that insightful observation, Tooth…" Bunny mumbled as he had an unimpressed look on his face.

Back in the vent, the mouse smirked as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. He wasn't sure why but he knew that what he had done had been for the best, "There you go, Frost. Now please stay out of the way, I gave you a reprieve for now. Don't mess it up." He then scurried off towards the lab, his claws clicking on the solid metal duct underneath his paws.

* * *

_**An: Alright, so now it seems as though the 'mouse,' has made another appearance. Now, question time:**_

_**Why is Doenx not allowed to tell Jack? Did the Guardians(more specifically, Bunny) jump to conclusions and little too quickly? Where had the roar come from? Why did the 'mouse,' help Jack and how? Where is the 'mouse,' going? What do you think will happen next? What do you **_**WANT ****_to happen next?_**

**_I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review and thanks for reading! :D_**


	6. Knowledge

**_An: Okay I'll be honest, it's a little upsetting to get short reviews. Only two people have been answering the questions, there's 14 followers of this story. And I thank you guys for that, however the way I see those follows are people who will be "into," the story. Asking questions, giving ideas, answering the questions at the end of each journal and giving awesome reviews. Please guys, I don't think I'm asking too much of you guys...Anyway, onto the story._**

* * *

_"Running…That's all I could do…I felt so useless, selfish and, if I was completely honest, I was terrified…Why had this happened? I hadn't done anything wrong this time, why after ten years of loyalty and trust had one little straw broken the camel's back? There was but one explanation, perhaps they had never truly forgiven me all those years ago. I tried, oh did I try to regain their trust but it seems like it just wasn't good enough. That left one question, what now…?"_

* * *

Jack lifted his head from his knees, his eyes were red and his pant leg was wet with the salty liquid that Jack had never used in all of those ten years and refused to let anyone see. His bright blue eyes filled with the realization that he couldn't show himself around the Guardians, but maybe, just maybe if he could find the true culprit, then everything would go back to normal. He frowned in determination and then he shifted into a more comfortable position on the tree branch that he was sitting on, he lifted the wristband to his mouth and then spoke into it. "Doenx, I need you to run a search."

_"On What, Sir?"_ The same female voice asked from the tiny, yet powerful, speakers on the wristband.

Jack thought for a moment and then he spoke again, "Why do the Guardians think that I did something wrong? Didn't you say that they cleared the still?"

_"They Did."_

"Then why are they after m-."

_"It Was You On The Picture."_ Doenx interrupted and then Jack's eyes widened.

"What?" Jack asked in shock, if it was possible for him to physically freeze than this was the moment he most showed it, it was as if he had turned to stone. "But…that's impossible! I was in the tree, asleep, the whole time!"

_"Exactly, And In Your Absence Someone Invaded The Hospital I Was Stationed At, Attacked Several Of The Residents And Staff Then Trashed The Lab. I Did Record A Pained Roar Coming From The Lab."_

"What kind of roar?" Jack asked, now he might be getting somewhere.

Instead of answering in words, Doenx played the roar for Jack to hear. It was powerful, deep and agonizing to hear. Whatever it was it had died instantly once the roar ended, because all was silent after that.

Once Jack found his voice once again he spoke once more, "What kind of roar was that? I've never heard anything like that before."

_"That Would Make Sense, Sir. The Roar Belonged To A Flare, But They Don't Exist Anymore."_ Doenx said.

"What do you mean 'anymore?' And what's a 'Flare?'" Jack asked, the wristband flashed in what seemed like excitement before Doenx answered.

_"I Will Start With The Second Question: A Flare Is Most Often Confused With What You Humans Call A Dragon, When The Humans Saw Them They Believed Them To Be Cruel Beasts And Created Wicked Stories To Surround Them. The People Feared Anything That They Thought Could Threaten Their Hold On Nature. But That's Not What Killed The Flares In The End; Their Demise Came With A Wave Of Disease."_

"So they all got sick and died? Then why was there a Flare in the hospit-."

_"Would You Be Patient? I Wasn't Finished Yet…"_

"Oh! Sorry, please continue." Jack said as he propped his elbow on his knee and his cheek into his palm.

_"Okay, So Anyway: The Disease Hit The Flares But Their Bodies Quickly Built A Resistance To It, They Had Lived In This Land For Decades And Over Those Generations They Built Heavy Walls To All Illnesses. It Was Because Of This That Not Only Did They Live For A Long Amount Of Time, But Also Why The Humans Targeted Them._

_When The Disease Hit A Nearby Human Settlement, Everyone Fell Horribly Ill. The Ones Most Affected Were The Young And Females, When The Men Saw Their Plight They Searched For The Answer. That Was When One Young Flare Stumbled Out Of His Home Territory, He Was Easily Killed And Then The Humans Took A Sample Of The Flare's Blood. Since The Flares' Weren't Showing Signs Of The Illness, The Humans Assumed That They Were Immune To It. Thus Leading To The Idea Of Taking And Using It's Blood To Cure Them Was Born, But They Had To Test It Out First. And They Knew Just The Right Person To Try It On._

_They Gave The Blood To One Of The Sick Children To See If It Would Cure Him, Well It Worked And That's When The Flares' Fate Was Sealed. That Night The Men Went Hunting, And While The Flares Were Still Weak From Fighting The Illness, Bullets Filled The Air._

_The Humans Had Their Cure And The Flares, Or Dragons As They Died Having Been Known, Were Wiped Off The Face Of The Earth. However, There Is A Rumor Cycling Around That Not All Of The Flares Were Killed Right Then And There. Some Say That The Humans Had Brought In Some Of The Flares To Be A Back-Up Should The Disease Ever Return._

_But This Was Never Confirmed And My Database Says Bluntly That They Are All Dead."_

"Okay, so if they are all dead, then why was one in the lab?" Jack asked, if anything the story had just confused him even more.

_"Like I Said, There Is A Rumor That-."_

"That's just it: a RUMOR. Not confirmed and it might have just been something that the environmentalists came up with to justify the massacre." Jack said in a not amused way, how was this supposed to help him?

_"It Might Be Possible That The Culprit Is A Denxo With The Base Form Of A Flare."_

"Alright, what the heck is a Denxo?"

_"A Shape-Shifter, But There Can Never Be A 'Pure,' Dexno. Dexno Are Shapeless Until They Mate With A Certain Animal, Perhaps One Had Bred With A Flare And We Are Dealing With Their Offspring."_

"Okay then, what does the Dexno have against me?" Jack asked, he couldn't really say that he completely believed of the existence of a shape-shifter but if it helped clear his name then he was open to the possibility.

_"Searching…Match Found: The Dexno Despises Your Constant Pranks."_

"Haha…Just give me an idea where it is now, while ya?"

_"Searching…Location Found: Memphis, Tennessee Children's Hospital."_

"Got it, come on let's go pay this Dexno a visit…" Jack said as he stood up on the branch, he felt renewed with a new sense of purpose and his previous feelings were shoved aside so that he could focus on the now. He leaped off of the branch without another word and headed towards the coordinates given to him by Doenx.

* * *

_**An: Whoever can name the hospital is epic, enough said. Anyway, question time:**_

_**Why do you think there was a Flare there? Do you think the humans were justified for murdering the Flares? Are they dealing with a Denxo? If so then what could the Denxo want? Who is the Denxo? What will Jack do? What do you think he should do? What do you think will happen next? What do you **_**WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Okay, thank you for reading. Please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D_**


	7. Rivals Revealed

**_An: Wow, this is what happens when little to no reviews come in. XD Anyway, for those who are still following this story: thank you. And please review! :)_**

* * *

_"Alright, now hand over the keys." _A brown haired teen ordered a much older man, the man seemed to be in a trace and he placed a keychain full of such items as the name suggested. Pale fingers wrapped securely around the keys and then a smirk crossed the teen's face until his lips curled up far enough to reveal sharp canines. "Good human, now. _Leave this hospital, and if any of your comrades' interrupt me I would be more than happy to rip them to shreds."_

The man turned around and then left the orange-eyed teen to himself, the teen laughed to himself and then he tossed the keys in the air before snatching them out of the air. "It's almost too easy." He said as he turned around, he took in a deep breath and then he frowned. "Well, back to the lab…" He then started walking forward, suddenly a chill hung in the air. "What the-?"

"Stop right there!" A voice shouted, causing the teen to glance back in startled surprise. But when he saw another teen that looked about 14 or 15, he simply laughed to himself.

"Frost, how nice to finally meet you." He said with a smirk, his orange eyes brightening the darkness of the hallways.

"Cut the crap, I want to know why you are framing me and I want to know now." Jack nearly growled as he readied to aim his staff at the other teen, what he wasn't expecting was a cackle to escape his mouth.

"Frame you!? Ha!" The teen laughed before gesturing behind him to Jack, "Why would I need to do that? No, it was far from framing you."

_'If he wasn't framing me…then why did I show up in the picture?'_ Jack thought for a moment but before he could say anything else the teen spoke once more.

"Simple, my dear friend." The teen started and then he turned his body just enough to look the winter spirit in the eyes, "I was trying to slip in and out without being noticed. I heard that you had been unseen for so many years, I figured: 'What better way to carry out my plan than copying one who isn't seen?'"

"What are you-?"

"Talking about?" The teen finished promptly much to Jack's shock, the teen continued unfazed. "The children around Burgess were talking about some 'Guardian,' that controlled all of the snow, blizzards, frost and whatever else you do. So I traveled to the Pole to see if it was true, and sure enough there you were. That rabbit broke the news to you and me alike, so I figured that if I used your form than I could do what I had planned for several years now without getting detected."

At this Jack lowered his staff, "Y-You were there?"

"Of course, I saw everything. It's kind of sad that your leader ignores you but feels free to talk to all of the others, huh?" The teen asked as he turned around completely, that's when Jack saw that he was wearing a black jacket, dark blue jeans, dark grey sneakers, a large bandana around the teen's neck, a multi-colored crystal in the middle of the cloth itself and, last but not least, Jack could also see a white shirt under the jacket.

Jack looked towards the ground when the teen's words sunk in, "He didn't ignore me…"

"Yes he did, don't try to hide anything from me. I know everything about you." The teen said with a smirk, Jack looked back to the teen's eyes. He had to be bluffing; he was just trying to frighten him. But it wouldn't work on Jack.

"That's a lie, there's no way you can know-."

"You used to be a human, you lived in the colony of Burgess, your birthday is the 30th of November, you had a mother, sister and step-father, your father died when you were twelve and you had no time to mourn, your step-father beat you constantly and the one time he raised his belt to your sister you took the hit for her, there's a scar on the back of your head from where the belt hit your head, and last but not least, you fell through the ice to save your little sister." The teen said with a smirk as Jack stood there, dumbfounded at this.

"How did you-?"

"I have the ability to see into other's thoughts, there are limits but I wouldn't think that you could hide anything from me." The teen said before he jingled the keys in his hand, "Oh, and before you say that I'm lying: I would be more than happy to help you out once I'm finished."

"Help me?! How could you help me?" Jack asked as if the teen was insane, the teen just looked at him sadly.

"Because, I've been in a situation just like you…" He said in almost a whisper, then he turned around and ran down the hallway.

_"Um, Sir? YOU'RE LOSING HIM!"_ Doenx said when Jack was still thinking over what the teen had said, Jack then shook his head before following the teen. He couldn't believe he had let him get to him, he was lying! Wasn't he…?

* * *

**_An: Okay, question time:_**

_**Who is this teen? What does he mean 'help Jack?' What is his plan exactly? Is he speaking the truth? What is Jack going to do now? What do you think will happen next? What do you**_** WANT****_ to happen?_**

**_Thank you for reading and I hope you like this chapter. And please review! :D_**


	8. Capture

_**An: Wow, this chapter is so late! XD Thanks to everyone who still is following this story! :) And someone brought up the fact that this is similar to a popular comic on DA, yes I do have her permission and we are even friends. :D Besides, there are a few different twists and turns in this story. ;)**_

* * *

Jack paused at the end of one of the hallways; it split straight down the middle and forked to the left and right. And the worst part? He had lost the other teen, the only lead he had to clearing his name…

"No…No! How could I lose him?!" Jack growled as he face-palmed, suddenly he heard a crack and crash from the end of the right hallway. He heard a snort and then a sharp _clip clop_ on what he assumed was hardwood floors by the sound of it, he looked up and then hesitantly followed the sound. When he came towards the end of the hallway he saw a large door…err, well whatever was left of it…

Jack looked inside and then found a large reindeer in what he was sure was the lab, suddenly the reindeer seemed to shrink and then it was the same brown-haired teen from before. "Alright…Now where is it?"

"I thought you had keys." Jack commented, causing the teen to jump and whirl around. The hair on his head puffed out slightly but then relaxed at the sight of the winter-spirit.

"Jack, I wasn't expecting you…" He said as crossed his arms; Jack glanced towards the ground and found that the teen was standing in a puddle of green goop. What the goop was, he wasn't sure. Not that it really mattered anyway.

Jack ignored the teen's last statement as the fact just dawned on him, "That's how you snuck into the Pole; you took the form of one of North's reindeer and watched the show."

"You are a quick one." The teen observed sarcastically as a cocky smirk crossed his face.

"You're the Denxo, aren't you?" Jack stated and a soft warning beep came from his wristband, _'Whatever You Do, Don't Anger Him.'_

The teen frowned as his orange eyes narrowed, "I have a name…"

"And that would be?" Jack urged carefully, he decided that maybe if he seemed to be less of a threat then maybe the Denxo would calm down.

The teen stood up straighter, letting his arms fall to his sides in an open gesture. His head tilted up slightly, as if he was royalty. "Alox. Alox is my name."

"Alox?" Jack asked, he had never heard a name quite like that before.

"Yes, so Jack. Have you decided to help me in my search?" Alox asked as he picked up a vial from the counter and then proceeded to mess with it as if it was a harmless toy.

"No, I will not assist the one who kills millions." Jack said as he glared at Alox.

"Funny, huh? Yet you assist millions of those people every day, not to mention their offspring." Alox commented simply before he tossed away the vial, the vial hit the wall and splattered everywhere. Coating everything in the room, including Jack's hoodie, in some of the goop and, needless to say, the winter spirit wasn't very pleased.

Jack glared back at Alox and then spoke once more, "Look, I have no idea what you're talking about but you have to stop this. You are hurting people." He said but this just got a frown from Alox as his eyes narrowed threateningly. "I know what happened to your family-."

"No you don't, you think that humans are justified for the massacre of the Flares. You are against me and that's fine…" His eyes flashed bright orange that left me blinded for a moment, when I opened my eyes again I saw a massive creature in front of me where Alox had been standing. _**"I just hope you like fire, Frost."**_

Before Jack could react, a blast of fire engulfed the lab. Jack flew out of the way of it but just as he was trying to put out the fire when it hit the wall instead something smacked onto the back of his head, sending him to the ground in a broken heap. He struggled to try and get back up but then he felt talons press onto both of his arms before an intense heat swallowed him, sending his body into a comatose to try and refreeze.

But before he was completely out he heard a voice speak to him, _**"I hope you have a nice nap, perhaps you will change your mind after you wake up."**_ Then he felt a vice-like grip grab the back of his hoodie before lifting him up, it was then that Jack completely lost consciousness.

* * *

"We lost him! How could we lose a petty trickster so easily!?" Bunny snarled as he searched the surrounding area, his ears back in pure rage.

"Don't you think that maybe we frightened him?" Tooth asked which just earned her a glare from Bunny.

"When will you get it? He betrayed us, stop defending him!"

"Bunny, Tooth is right. Why don't we give him the benefit of the doubt? He has been Guardian for a decade, and all of those years he was so loyal." North said in defense, Sandy nodded in agreement before he made a few gestures which Bunny bluntly ignored.

"Fine, then let's find him and have a friendly _chat_." Bunny growled the last word until it was nearly unrecognizable. He started to walk away when North pointed towards the room that they had been standing next to.

"Don't you want to say goodbye to Sophie?" He asked and then Bunny turned right around.

"I'll be right back…" He said as he started to enter the room, "Meet you guys in the sleigh." He then went in the room to visit with his favorite little ankle-biter.

* * *

_**An: Alright, question time:**_

_**What is Alox talking about? What is he going to do with Jack? What will Jack do? Will his name ever get cleared? What do you think will happen next? What do you**_** WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review! :D_**


	9. Apology?

_**An: Thank you to last chapter's reviewers. :) Please review and answer the questions at the end of the chapter. Thank you. :D**_

* * *

"What a curious device, tell me, creation of foolhardy humans, what does your programing say about the Flares?" Alox asked as he turned the wristband that held Doenx's controls in his hand, the lights were slowly changing from yellow to red to green.

_"I Will Never Tell You Anything._" She replied sternly but Alox's smirk never left his face as he stared with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Is that so?" He asked and then his eyes glowed orange for a moment before static came over the wristband's speakers. Doenx tried to answer but her voice kept cutting in and out, all that could be heard was a few words: _"You'll...Win...Not...Anything...Jack...Stop...Hero...Fail…"_

Then she powered down with a fizzle of the screen and electronic pop of the speakers, once he was sure that she was finished, Alox tossed her over his shoulder and into the darkness of the cave in which they were in. "Technology of these humans never cease to amuse me...primitive nobodys…"

Suddenly, a groan sounded from the right side of the cave. Alox looked towards the sound and then smirked when he saw that the winter-spirit was waking up, "Well, well, well. Goodmorning sunshine."

"Huh…?" Jack mumbled as he opened his eyes, his eyes then flung open in realization. "What-? Where am I?!"

"Easy, Frost. You're safe, I assure you." Jack looked up just in time to see none other than the very Denxo who had caused all this grief.

"What did you do? Where are my friends-?"

"I haven't touched them, luckily you have pulled them from my trail." Alox said as he crossed his arms in self-satisfaction.

"What do you mea-?"

"They still think it's all your fault, lucky me huh?"

"Look, if you turn yourself in maybe they will be more lenient on your punishment." Jack tried to convince him but Alox just looked to the floor solemnly.

"And why should they be? In their eyes I-or, should I say, you-am a heartless murder. And if I reveal that I framed you, oh things just got much worse." Alox said plainly and Jack leaned back against the wall in thought. "You know...I really do feel bad for putting you through this…"

At that Jack looked back up to Alox in shock, "What?"

"I really thought that no one would see me if I took your form...I guess even after all these years my stupidity never ceased…" Alox muttered and then Jack was left to his own confusion, why would Alox even care? Wasn't he, or I don't know, evil!?

"Maybe once I find what I'm looking for you'd like to join me, I can't offer much but a home where I know you will be loved, Human or not." Alox offered as he looked expectantly at the young Guardian.

Jack paused if just for a moment, he was torn between feeling insulted and feeling honored, the first being the stronger of the two feelings. He thought for a moment and then he looked up to Alox once more, "If anything, you could come with me and right your wrongs. If you do that than maybe you can live out your life in a more positive way."

"You don't understand, Jack...I'm not looking for some little worthless trinket. It's much more important than that, I feel like you can sympathise but really I don't deserve your pity." Alox said simply and then he glanced over to the darkness as a soft light cut through the dark.

_"Cruel...Savage...Brute...Run...Jack...Don't...Listen…"_

Jack turned his gaze towards the dimming light, "Doenx?"

_"System...Failing…"_

The light fizzled out and then Jack tried to look back to Alox but he found that the Denxo was nowhere to be found, "Alox? Alox, what's going on?!"

Above him on one of the overhangs of the cave, a large lizard-like beast watched him with sad orange eyes. _**"Sorry, Jack...But my duty is to my pack first…"**_ The creature then slipped away once more, his tail sliding across the ground with a soft grounding noise.

* * *

Bunny leaned against the stairs on the back of North's sleigh, he and his old friend were part of the first search group, Sandy and Tooth being on the other search group. They had checked dozens of children hospitals, general hospitals and other health buildings. But there was no sign of Jack, and Bunny was at his wits end. He couldn't stand betrayal and this wasn't the first time Frost had betrayed them, the first time had been when he traded Baby Tooth for his teeth. And none of them, besides Jack himself, had ever truly forgotten the time that Jack had turned to the darkness.

Manny had fixed the young Guardian but he did warn them that he couldn't guarantee that Jack would ever be exactly the same. Perhaps the darkness had overtaken him once more, but he had done so well the past 9 ½ years…

"Bunny...Are you okay?" North asked from his spot in front of the sleigh, Bunny glanced to his friend and then he looked back to the floor.

"I just can't believe that he betrayed us again...Why do we keep trusting him?" Bunny growled as he wrapped his hand into a fist as his whole body trembled, his ears laid back against his skull as well.

"There has to be some explanation...I don't think he would truly do something of such magnitude as this…" North said but Bunny wasn't convinced.

"You keep that view, North. And you might be disappointed…" Bunny told him as he crossed his arms, North glanced back to the Pooka in sorrow before turning back to the reindeer that pulled the sleigh through the night air.

* * *

_**An: Question time:**_

_**Was Alox being sincere? Why do you think he is acting like this all of the sudden? What is he looking for? When and how did Jack turn to the darkness? What do you think will happen next? What do you **_**WANT ****_to happen next?_**

**_Thanks for reading, please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D_**


	10. Transition

_**An: Alright, I'm seriously hoping for more than one review...Thanks to the person who always seems to review, at least someones trying...**_

* * *

A loud crash and roar of agony filled the building as a massive creature landed in the 2nd floor of the hospital near the middle of the U.S. The creature shrunk until there was a brown-haired teen in it's place, the teen forced himself to his knees and then to his trembling feet. He wiped the red liquid from the corner of his mouth and then he took a few steps forward before his legs gave in underneath him. As he hit the ground, all he could think of was how stupid he had been. He had shown off his true form to a bunch of humans, he had been sure that he had found what he had longed for for so long. But he was bitterly wrong, and when the humans saw him they had tried to capture him.

But he refused to go out like that, he fought them but he lacked the strength to fight off their guns. He had had to flee, but the humans had done their damage. His chest erupted in another wave of agony as his shattered ribs poked at the paper thin tissue that was supposed to help protect his internal organs from outside dangers. And for a moment he thought back to all that he had done, everything that he had gone through to get this far, all of the people he probably killed and the many more he had horribly injured.

And he knew that he had deserved this, but that didn't mean that they did. No, if anything he had to finish this for them. They deserved to be finally free, and that's just what he was going to do.

Alox forced himself back up and then limped towards the hospital's lab, he was just hoping that the answers that he seeked were there waiting for him.

* * *

_Meanwhile, back at the faroff cavern._

"Come on...Break you stupid chain…" Jack whispered as he tried to undo the cuffs on his wrists, the cuffs were not only keeping his hands together behind his back but also shackling him to the wall. But try as he might, the cuffs wouldn't give. "Ah! Great...now what am I going to do?"

Suddenly, Jack's shadow showed up in front of him. The shadow seemed to lift out of the ground until a massive creature stood in front of him, the beast looked strangely like a dragon…no, a Flare…

Jack leaned away from the creature fearfully, but the beast merely lowered it's head, locked it's jaws on the chain, ignited fire in it's throat and then, when the chain was bright red, it bit down as hard as it could. A loud snap filled the cave and then Jack glanced down just in time to see that he was free, the chain was still stuck to the wall and the cuffs were still around his wrists but he could move and stand up as if it had never happened.

Jack smiled in relief as he looked at his wrists, "Hey, thanks! Oh, would you mind coming with me to find...Alox…?" Jack stopped mid-sentence as he looked up only to find that the Flare was gone, just...gone…

"Where did he-?"

_"System...F-F-F-Failure...G-G-Glitch...Mel-Meltdown…"_ A familiar female voice said from the opposite side of the room, Jack looked over just in time to see his wristband, a dulling light glowing on it's interface.

"Doenx!" Jack gasped as he rushed over to the wristband, he picked it up and then the light died right in front of him. Jack couldn't believe it, had he actually come to like her? She was the only one he had been able to talk to ever since he was framed. "No...Come on Doenx! Wake up already!"

After a moment Jack sighed, he then stood up and placed the wristband in his hoodie-pocket. He glanced around and then located his staff hanging up on the wall. He grabbed it and then, with one last glance in the cavern just to make sure that the Flare wasn't coming back, Jack took off towards the nearest hospital in hopes that he would find Alox and stop him before he went too far.

* * *

Bunny climbed out of the sleigh and then he gasped as he saw a trail of blood starting in a pile of shattered glass and leading down into the middle of the hospital. He narrowed his eyes as he smelled air, it sure smelled like Frost. But then again it also smelled of something else, something that he hadn't smelled in years. He glanced back to his old friend and then saw the fear in the reindeers' eyes as North tried to calm them.

"Woah, what is matter?" North asked the reindeer but Bunny was the one to answer.

"They smell the blood...I don't know who it belongs to exactly but I have the feeling that if we follow the trail we will find our culprit." Bunny said as he pointed to the blood, North nodded and then abandoned the reindeer to stand next to his fellow Guardian.

"Now if only Tooth and Sandy were-." Bunny started to say but then, as if on cue, the other two Guardians flew through the open window and greeted them.

"Bunny! North! Funny meeting you here, have you two found any-." Tooth stopped as she saw the blood, she covered her mouth in shock as she backed up from it. Sandy made worried and confused gestures but they went unnoticed by the others.

"Easy guys, we don't know for sure who the blood belongs to." Bunny assured them but that didn't seem to calm Tooth.

"But what if it's Jack? What if he got hurt and we weren't there to help him? What if-?"

"If it is Jack then I promise that he will get healed first, then we can question him." Bunny told her as he tried his best to keep his voice leveled. To be honest, he wanted to punish the little traitor as fast as he could but he knew how much the little icicle meant to the others.

This seemed to finally calm the others, and with that Bunny got them to follow him along the blood trail. Now was the time for answers, and Bunny would make sure that they got the answers they seeked.

* * *

_**An: Okay, question time:**_

_**Who is Alox looking for? What was the Flare doing at the cave? Why did it help Jack? How is a Flare still alive? Where did the Flare go? What will the Guardians find? What do you think will happen next? What do you **_**WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Thank you for reading, please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D_**


	11. Discovery

_**An: Alright, a huge thank you to the reviewers from the last chapter. Please, please keep that up. It means a lot to me and I'd also like it if you answered the questions as well. 23 followers, come on guys. If this story makes you **_**THAT****_ interested I'd love to know why! And what you think based on the questions at the end of each chapter. :)_**

* * *

Jack landed in the hospital gracefully, the sound of glass shattering and an agonizing pain erupting in his feet being the only thing that brought him out of the state he had been in. He grabbed his feet and then found several shards of glass had dug into his soles, blood trickling out of the edges of each shard. Jack only just held back the tears of agony as he placed his foot back down, thus causing the glass to dig even deeper into his feet. He cuffed his hands over his mouth and then called into the hallway, "Alox! Alox it's me, Jack. Are you okay?"

He listened for a reply but when none came he lifted into the air and then flew down the hallway, leaving a trail of his own as he went. Just when he stopped in front of a large door static sounded from his hoodie pocket, _"Jack...Jack!"_

"Huh?" Jack muttered as he took the wristband out of his pocket, his eyes lit up when he saw that Doenx's screen was up and running once more. He smiled brightly as he spoke once more, "Doenx! You're alive!"

_"Of Course I'm Alive, Why Would You Think-?"_ Doenx stopped and then soft beeps came from her speakers, the door lit up dimly in response. Jack glanced from his wristband back to the door, he tilted his head in confusion as Doenx continued the soft beeps, the door copying her. After a few moments Doenx spoke again, _"Oh No…"_

"What's wrong?" Jack asked in sudden fear and helplessness, instead of answering Doenx beeped once more and then the door copied her one last time before sliding out of the way, allowing them to enter.

Jack looked inside the room and then glance down to the wristband nervously, Doenx's voice came out of it's speakers once more: _"Go On, Just Be Ready For The Worst…"_ She instructed him and then Jack swallowed the lump in his throat before stepping into the room, he glanced around the room and then paused at what he saw.

"No…" He whispered as tears welled up in his eyes, Doenx kept silent the whole time, her screen dimming slowly.

* * *

Alox fell onto the ground once more, and this time he was left there, gasping for air as blood poured from his open wounds. He had tried, oh, he had tried, but all of his strength had left him long ago. All he could think of was how he had failed, he had failed his species….his pack...his family…

Tears welled up in his tired eyes as his vision darkened, he coughed up some red goop and then he was sure that he saw a grey figure coming up to him. In his delusional state, a tired smile pulled at his lips and then a few last words passed his lips, "M-Mom…"

He then passed out, right in the middle of a pool of his own blood. A hand touched his shoulder and a voice spoke to him that he only heard in his dreams: _"You're going to be just fine, kid...Just hold on...hold on…"_

* * *

Bunny stood up from his spot kneeling down next to Jack, he glanced down to him in some kind of sadness. He had to admit, he didn't despise the winter-spirit himself, just what he had done. Seeing the young Guardian like this had simply proven that to him. And it wasn't long before Tooth was right next to Jack, hugging him tightly but gently in her arms as tears streamed down her face.

Bunny lowered his ears in sorrow before he glanced to North, "We need to get him back to the Pole...Once he's healed we will figure out why he did all this." He told his old friend, North nodded and then they pried Tooth from Jack before North picked him up in his arms. Sandy sprinkled some of his Dream Sand on Jack's eyes to ensure that he had good dreams and that he slept peacefully.

They then took Jack to the sleigh and then towards the Pole, the reindeer just didn't seem to be flying fast enough at that moment.

* * *

_**An: Question time:**_

_**What did Doenx find out? What did Jack find in that room? What happened to Alox? Where is Alox? Why is Jack passed out? What are they going to do with Jack? What is going on here? What do you think will happen next? What do you**_** WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Okay, thanks for reading, reviewing and answering the questions! I hope you liked this chapter. :)_**


	12. Dream

**_An: I gained three new follows for this story, which, to me, is quite amazing. But I have to warn you guys, if you couldn't care less about Alox then it might be a good idea to kind of ignore the rest of this story. I always meant for this story to center around him and Jack, now if you guys happen to (somehow) like Alox than please let me know. Just thought I'd warn you guys! Enjoy the story! XD_**

* * *

_Darkness…A welcoming sight considering all that happened before...But something just wasn't right...And he knew it all too well…_

_But before he could really think about it, he found himself in a clearing, surrounded by dozens and dozens of trees. As he stood there, gawking at the sight in front of him, he didn't notice the grey figure standing just a few feet from him. Her bright blue eyes watching him as she gave a graceful flick of her tail. After a moment she spoke up, her voice as smooth and soothing as the finest silk:_ "Alox…"

_Alox turned his head towards the voice and then he took in the sight in front of him, could it be…? He took one nervous step forward, his talon digging into the soft dew-covered grass underneath him._ "M-Mom…?"

_To that the figure smiled softly,_ "Yes, honey. It's me."

_That was all that needed to be said, Alox smiled brightly as he galloped towards her. Once he was right in front of her he slowed down, he cautiously padded closer to her until he felt her wings wrap around him. He then leaned into her for the long-overdo hug, tears streaming down his face as his body shook uncontrollably. He was reduced to shivering sobs as he tried to pull himself together,_ "M-Mom...I was so worried that it was too late…"

"Shh...It's okay, now...Everything's going to be okay, now…" _His mother told him as she nuzzled behind one of his ears, Alox calmed down ever so slightly and then his ears perked up at a distant sound coming from behind him. It was unmistakably a laugh, but it wasn't a kind laugh. It was one of the most twisted sounds Alox had ever heard._

_Alox turned around quickly, ready to defend his mother at all costs. But then he heard a cry from his right, he looked back and then gasped as he saw that his mother had disappeared into nothing. Alox was about to cry when he heard a voice speaking to him:_ "Jack...Jack, come on mate...It's time to wake up…"

_Before Alox could process what was happening, another voice spoke up:_ "Bunny...we have to let him rest…"

_He then felt a hand brush his forehead before it left once more and it was all silent once again. Alox was thrown into the darkness again, and this time he fought it...whether he was winning or not, he did not know…_

* * *

Alox jumped up as he was finally able to be free of the sleep-induced prison, he gasped for air and then he paused as he tried to catch his breath. Once his breathing steadied he allowed himself to look at his surroundings, and he was surprised to see that he was in some-kind of ice kingdom. He shivered inwardly and wrapped his arms around his body, it wasn't until he was already in the position that he realized what a bad idea that was. He winced painfully but then paused when he felt not his clothes or skin, but some other kind of fabric. He glanced down and was shocked to find bandages all around his body, he brushed the strange fabric with the tips of his fingers and then he pulled the blanket off of his body.

He stood up and winced when the ice bit as his unprotected feet, but he ignored the pain and then looked for the nearest window. Once he found it he walked over to it, thrust it open, and then he glanced back towards the room. "Thanks for the help...But I don't deserve it. I'm sorry for everything, but I have to do this…"

He then leaped out of the window, transforming into hawk as he started the long trek back to the next hospital. The bandages staying on him even as he changed his form and flew off through the sky.

* * *

Bunny trudged through the hallway towards the infirmary, it was his turn to switch out Jack's bandages and then to try and give him the medicine. Not being able to be seen by adults meant that the Guardians had to figure out their own ways to heal should the need come up. Most of the time they each had a different way to heal, such as Sandy would use his Dream Sand. Bunny had perfected the skill of wrapping up wounds without aggravating the injury so he was usually given the task when the time came.

Bunny sighed as he pushed open the door, "Alright, Frostbite. Time to change your ba-." Bunny stopped mid-sentence as he saw that not only was Jack gone and the window was open but also blood covered the bed, floor and windowsill. "Oh-!" Bunny cut off as he rushed over to the bed and then he touched his communicator, "Guys, we've got a problem…"

* * *

_**An: The next chapter will have more back-story, where the Flares will be explained in more detail along with what happened exactly back then. And I know a few of you at least thought that it had really been Jack who was knocked out, nope! Don't worry, he will show up again soon. But whether he is in the best condition...Um...why don't we move onto the questions, then? ^^;**_

_**What do you think the dream meant? Could Sandy have done that on purpose? Will the Guardians catch up to him? Where's Jack? What do you think will happen next? What do you **_**WANT****_ to happen next?_**

**_Okay, thanks for reading, please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D_**


	13. The True Enemy

_**An: Okay, at least I'm getting two reviews per chapter. Come on guys, please review. Anyway, backstory time! :D Then we might get into some action. :)**_

* * *

Alox stumbled into the building as his strength wavered, he limped towards the control room slowly. Luckily most of the humans were gone, fearing for their lives maybe? Whatever, now was the time to worry about the search, not petty humans. As he got closer and closer to the room, he felt the room getting progressively colder. He started to feel clots on his wounds, and soon he paused completely in the middle of the hallway.

"Jack...please move on, you can go anywhere else but stay out of my way." Alox said firmly, but his weak stature and the shivering of not only his body was overpowering. Alox could feel the temperature drop a few more degrees before he heard the familiar voice once more.

"Alox...just talk to me…" He pleaded as he floated just above the ground, Alox glanced back to him with heavy orange eyes.

"Why do you even care…?" Alox asked, sincerely shocked at the winter-spirit's behavior. "After all that I have done-."

"You said that you were in the same situation as me, and that I could sympathise with you. Call me stupid, but I'm curious at least." Jack told him and then Alox looked to the ground in shame, Jack leaned towards the Denxo. "Please, Alox...It's the least you could do. Humor me, if only for a moment…"

Alox paused and then a half-hearted smile pulled at his lips, "Alright...but I don't know why you even want to listen to an old fool's sob story…" He said and then he turned towards Jack, only to find that he was sitting, perfectly propped up, on his staff. His feet hung over the side of the staff, and Alox was sure that he not only smelled but saw blood coming from his unprotected soles.

"Okay, so I'm sure the device-."

"Doenx." Jack corrected as respectfully as he could, once again surprising Alox.

"Doenx...has told you how the Flares were hunted for our blood, correct?" Alox asked and when Jack nodded he continued, "Well, it was that and a little more…"

"You see," He started once more, this time really getting into the story, "Though the humans would never admit it, the Flares and them were once allies. But before I get into that, I guess I should explain one very important detail."

Jack listened intently as Alox continued, "Us Flares came from a far off planet, I don't remember what the elders of my pack had told us exactly but what I do know was that several of our kind landed here long ago. And when we crashed into this planet we set everything aflame, in our slumber we killed millions. And when we awoke we found several bones of massive beasts, some were big, others weren't. Some had razor sharp teeth, while others had flat teeth. I believe you humans called them 'dinosaurs?'"

"Anyway, our kind settled on one of the main pieces of land. It was our home and there our kind grew out of the ashes of the old land. Soon, new creatures joined our ranks. Us Flares had learned how valuable the information they carried was and made an alliance with all of the clans, some were what you humans call 'foxes,' while others were wolves, bears, deer, birds, you name it. However, there was one species that was forbidden to even speak to." Alox paused for a moment as he looked towards the ground in shame before he worked up the courage to speak once more. "And that was the Denxo's...They were cunning tricksters, and they were banished by the king from our homeland. They were believed to have strange abilities that was wasted in their midsts, such powers as mind-reading, teleportation, manipulation of the mind and the ability to communicate through thoughts weren't uncommon among their kind. But they were also known for their uncanny ability to change their shape."

"With this power they could be anywhere, anyone, anytime they wanted. Our king and queen saw the evil in their ranks and then issued the banishment, and needless to say, the Denxo's weren't very pleased. But most of them were mad from the beginning, too many years sharing memories, thoughts and feelings with others really messed with their minds. But one stood above the others, he was possibly the bravest, or foolish, one of them all. He asserted his rule over the Forsaken and then proposed a plan to his fellow Denxo's. And everything was going as planned until he confronted a female from the neighboring clan, at first the female was unsure of him but his charm soon won her over."

"Now, while all this was occurring, the Flare king and queen were signing a peace treaty with the humans of this land. The humans wanted our information and we wanted to avoid conflict with another race, since we were already fighting the Forsaken. When the treaty was signed and we allied with the humans the king and queen had told the humans to leave the Forsaken alone, one drop of blood would surely awaken their hunger and they would be out for the hunt. Now everything was just fine, but some of the Denxo's didn't get the memo when their king called off the fight until he could find a safe way to be with his mate."

"The fools did as they had been told before, they infiltrated the human camp and used their abilities to inflict the young with an illness that was our downfall. When the humans couldn't find the cure the queen took pity on them and offered some of her blood to remedy those who fell ill. The humans were grateful and honored the Flares as heroes, but the Forsaken weren't finished there. Years later the illness struck once more, the same Denxo's told the humans that the Flares were to blame for the spread of the disease. They then informed them that the illness would only keep coming back should the Flares be left alive, now the humans did what they thought was right."

"However, the Forsaken's king had just heard news of his mate having bared a cub, he was about to go visit his mate when some of his troops told him that they had succeeded in his plan. The king was horrified, he rushed towards his mate's territory but was stopped by the sound of gunshots. He didn't make it in time, his mate and her pack were gone. Some of the animals say that he still searches for his mate, but they never said anything about him looking for his cub…"

"What about you, Alox?" Jack asked much to Alox's dismay.

"I'm just trying to find what I lost…" Was his simple answer, he turned back around to hide the silver streams that crawled down his face. "I know that they are still alive...they have to be…"

At this Jack straightened as his eyes widened, "That's right! Alox, you have to come with me."

"Jack, I'm not turning myself in...not until they are-." Alox started but Jack butted in quickly.

"Alox, I found them."

Alox whirled around and then his shoulders hunched up as he eyes searched Jack's own blue eyes for the truth in this. "Y-You did? W-Where?!"

"Alox, calm down. There's something you should know before you see them…"

Alox's eyes narrowed as his eyes flashed bright orange for a moment, "No, you're lying to me. They're just fine, you'll see!" He then took the form of the creature from before, shoving past the winter-spirit and down the hallway.

"Alox, no! Stop!" Jack shouted to him as he dashed after him, he heard the flapping of wings and then he quickened his pace, this just couldn't be happening.

* * *

_**An: So it appears that the true ones responsible for the Flares demise is their very own brother species, and just so it's clear. Most of the Denxos are out of their minds, and their king was the only one who was still sane. They merely gave into his command, it helped them stay calm.**_

_**I won't put any questions on this one, nobody really answers them anyway...**_

_**Thanks for reading, please review and I hope you liked this chapter.**_


	14. Love and Loss

_**An: Alright, now I got three reviews last time. But really guys, give me some guesses on what you think will happen next. It's honestly not a whole lot to ask for...I DO reply to reviews through PMs as well so your questions might get answered if you ask them. I try to update consistently, so it's kind of pointless to ask for more. Seriously, if everyone just helped me out a bit I wouldn't have to rant about this. Thank you so much to those who at least TRY, they are like the only reason that more chapters are still getting posted. So you can either thank them, review or do both. Thank you for putting up with my rant, now onto the story!**_

* * *

His feet just couldn't carry him fast enough, that much Alox knew. Tears covered his face at the mere thought that he had read from Jack's head, he just had to be wrong! Everything would be just fine, he would have his family back and everything would go back to normal. Maybe Jack could come with them, Alox was sure that he would take his offer once he saw that the Guardians had given up on him. He would be more than happy to help Jack, they contrasted perfectly with each other. Alox being of the fire element and Jack being a winter spirit, maybe they could even build a whole new island.

Of course, Jack could choose the destination. It was the least Alox could do, after all. And he was sure that Jack would be welcomed to come with them, everything would just fall back into place.

Alox was pulled from his thoughts when he stopped in front of a large door, had he been in his true form instead of human form, he would have lowered his ears. But he simply reached out his hand, ignoring the distant clinking of loose chains against cuffs, and then pushed open the door. It took every ounce of strength that he could no longer muster to shove the door aside, he heard a soft clatter and then a voice came to him from across the room.

_"Who are yuo? Waht do you wnat wtih us? Saepk hnamu!"_

Alox paused for a moment at the ancient language that hadn't been spoken in many years, and he looked back towards the voice hopefully. "Mom, it's me. Alox."

The growl that had previously filled the room silenced and then a pair of bright blue eyes looked up to him, "A-Alox…? Is it really…Is it really you?"

"Y-Yeah...It's me, mom." Alox said as he stepped towards her, she spread one of her wings over something that Alox didn't really get the chance to see. It was then that he remembered, "Mom? Where's Neklt?"

The female Flare opened her mouth as if to speak but then she paused once more before averting her eyes from her son. Her ears back as liquid poured down her face, Alox's eyes widened and then he repeated the question. "Where is he…?"

At this his mother lifted her wing, underneath it was a young Flare. But the most horrifying part of it was the condition of the Flare, bones jutted out every which direction, open wounds covered the spaces where the paper thin skin stretched over the bones. A foul scent waffed up to Alox's nose, it was then that he noticed the white and green fuzz coming from the wounds.

"No...no, please no…" Alox whimpered as he fell onto his knees, after a moment he reached out for the Flare. Picking up the limp body as easily as lifting a pencil from the table, he stared at the cub for a few more moments before he wrapped his arms securely around him. His shoulders trembled as Alox was reduced to childish sobs, "Why...why…?"

His mother nudged his shoulder, a lone crystalline tear framing her face as she draped a wing over her two cubs. "He tried so hard...everyday he would stare out the window, saying that his big brother would soon be here with us. He knew that you would come for us...I'm so sorry, I tried to keep the humans away but they wouldn't leave us be…" Her voice wavered as she stared into Alox's eyes with hazy blue eyes, Alox placed one of his hands on her snout and then she laid her head next to his side.

It was then that Alox noticed that she was in the same condition, the only difference was the millions of wires that were all over her hide. What had once been the stunning Flare that Alox had known as a cub was now a beaten soldier, and the one who had once been the golden child in everyone's eyes, including Alox's own, was a hollow shell of defeat. Just a mere shell of the hope, wonder, dreams and memories of the once bright and outgoing Flare cub.

Alox glanced back to his mother and then he leaned against her neck, a smile pulled at her tired lips and then she started to hum softly. Alox recognized the song instantly, it was one that she had always hummed to him to get him to sleep. She had done it for both Neklt and Alox after she became mates with the Alpha of their pack, thus barring the Alpha's son to cover for Alox.

Alox allowed himself to drift back to those golden years where the only thing that matter to him was playing with Neklt in the forest they had called home, sure not everything was perfect. The other Flares despised him, the Alpha beat him every chance he got, he was always criticized for everything he did. But when he was with his mother and brother it hadn't mattered, and he had searched for them ever since their pack was wiped out.

So much for moving on with their lives, freeing them and finding a new home where they could live out their endless years in joy and freedom. But as long as he was with them, Alox didn't care what happened to him. He had waited so long for this moment, he couldn't let it go to waste.

"Mom, we can still leave this place far behind. I know someone who could come with us, it would be perfect. Then we can find the perfect place to live, and Neklt can rest peacefully knowing that everything is alright…" Alox suggested as he hugged onto his mother's neck, he waited for her response but when none came he sat up. "Mom?"

Alox stared at the female Flare in confusion and then he noticed that she was completely still, "Mom…? Mom?" Alox asked and then water built up in his eyes as he nudged her ear, "Wake up...please wake up…"

The sound of clicking chains filled his ears and then Alox tried his best to steady his voice, "I guess you were right, Jack...I hope you're happy…"

_"Oh, I arusse you cbu, I am far form hyppa."_

* * *

**_An: Who could that voice be? Anyway, so yeah Alox had a brother and mother which is who he was looking for. They were used to get blood to cure the illness that had come back recently in the story. The ancient language that is being used is that which is used by the Flares and Denxos collectively, they also used it when sharing and gaining information from the other animal clans. Translation can be provided if you really need it, but it might be fairly easy to understand it. :)_**

**_Thanks for reading, _****PLEASE REVIEW****_ and I hope you liked this chapter. :D_**


	15. A Long Awaited Reunion

_**An: Okay, next chapter time. Please review and I hope you like this chapter! :D**_

* * *

_"Oh, I arusse you cbu, I am far form hyppa."_

Alox wheeled around in terror at the ancient voice that had filled his ears just mere moments ago, he looked on in growing fear as he saw a massive creature standing in the doorway. It's dark grey hide was splattered with red ooze, but no wounds grazed his body. Alox noticed something in the creature's mouth and he squinted in an attempt to see what is was. But it was for naught when the creature spat it out onto the floor, where it clattered hollowly in front of Alox.

It was then that Alox realized what it was, he reached out his hand and brushed the smooth surface as he muttered sadly to himself, "Jack…"

"So that was the petty human's name, well he's now one less human to worry about." The creature said simply and then he narrowed his eyes at Alox, "Now, cub. Mind telling me why you have killed my mate?"

Alox lifted his head to look at the creature and the moment the creature saw his orange pupils he curled back his lips into snarl. "Ah, so you're a traitor **AND** a murder." The creature growled as his own eyes flashed with anger, Alox stood up in fear, he glanced down to his brother and mother next to him. Both of them were still, the blood just starting to slow out of their many wounds. Whether it was do to the infections or because they were truly gone, Alox wasn't completely sure.

"No, no, no. I would never-!" Alox started but the creature snarled, interrupting him.

**"LIAR!"** He snapped causing Alox to stumble backwards and land on his back just a foot from his family, the creature lifted his head and a blood-stained forked tongue slid out of his mouth as he narrowed his eyes at Alox. "You may not have known it, being the stupid cub that everyone knows you are, but I followed you ever since you attacked that first hospital. And, to my disappointment, you didn't even try to start a mass genocide. The humans had to find you first before you attacked, and even then you hesitated. Thankfully, I was there to give your mind a **boost**."

Alox paused at that, he thought for a moment and then his eyes widened, "You used me!" He cried angrily as he pushed himself onto his feet once more, his orange eyes glowing dimly in the darkness of the room.

The creature rolled his eyes and then spoke once more, "Of course I did, I had to find my mate first but I could always go for dinner and a show." The creature stated plainly, Alox took a step back as a chill ran up and down his spine.

"Y-You ate them!?" He asked fearfully, the creature snorted as he lifted one of his talons to his chest.

"I'd never eat one of those gritty humans, but other things…"

"What did you do to Jack?" Alox interrupted the elder creature.

"Why would you care? They murdered your race, took my mate and plowed the Flares' home territory. But, then again. You did help them in killing your mother, and I just want you to know." The creature paused as he leaned down towards the ground as he bared his fangs, "I am not above putting my own son to sleep."

Alox froze in place as the creature charged for him, when he finally noticed that the creature was coming for him, it was already too late. He was pinned to the ground under the Denxo's talon as he glared down at him, and as Alox looked up at the Denxo, his very own father, he knew that not only was this Denxo his father but also the king of the Forsaken. The one who ordered the Flares to be destroyed, the very one Alox had always dreamed of meeting and then very same one his mother had spoken so well of.

And now he was at his mercy, just as how he had been the whole time he had searched for his mother and brother. But, to be honest, his heart was numb at this point. He had just lost his family, the very one whose life he had destroyed and had been called on his injustices.

So Alox just waited for his father to do his deed, it wasn't like he had anything else to live for anyway…

**"Shadow, fetch!"**

Alox opened his eyes at the voice that came from behind his father, who also looked back only to see a dark blur jump onto the staff and then leap back over the door. Once the blur landed, it was revealed to be a Flare-like creature with bright yellow eyes. The creature stood next to another figure, the creature craned it's neck before dropping the staff into the figure's hand before lifting it's head once again to stare at the two Denxos.

Alox peered at the figure next to the Flare and then he gasped as he called over to him: "Jack!"

The figure gave Alox a smirk and then he aimed his staff at Alox's father, "Why don't we play a little game, big fella?" He mocked, Alox's father lowered onto his front talons and snarled at him.

_"Saty out of tsih, hnamu! Tihs donse't coecnrn yuo!"_ He roared as he shoved his ears up, his wings spread to make himself appear bigger. Jack seemed to be taken aback by the strange tongue that he was talking in, but then he shook off the surprise before glancing towards the creature standing next to him.

**"Shadow, defend."** He ordered as he gestured towards the Denxo, the creature growled and then leaped at Alox's father. They locked in battle and then Jack rushed over to Alox, offering his hand to help him up.

Alox just stared at his hand in confusion before getting up on his own, "I thought you were-."

"Did you forget that I'm a spirit?" Jack asked as Alox shot him a playful glare before he heard a roar of pain, they both looked towards the fight and then saw that Shadow was pinned by Alox's father. Jack gasped and then he called out to Shadow, **"Shadow, return!"**

Shadow melted into the ground and then came back to Jack, hiding as his shadow. Alox looked back up to his father just as the massive Denxo roared into the sky, his wings stretching above his back. Jack flinched for a moment but then he readied his staff to fight, but then Alox put his hand on the staff before lowering it until it was pointing towards the ground. Jack shot him a baffled look but Alox just gave him a half-hearted smile before speaking once more: "Let me handle this."

"But-."

"He's my father, besides the Guardians need you. And no one will miss me." Alox stated and then Jack frowned at him.

"I can help."

"I'm sure you could, but he's a fire element. And the last thing we need is for you to be a puddle on the floor." Alox said and then he turned towards his father as he roared once more, "This isn't your fight, Jack. It's about time I made it up to my pack, I have to do this for my mother...for Neklt…"

Jack stared at Alox in shock, what had he missed exactly? But he soon heard voices coming from the hallway, "Jack! Are you in here, mate?"

Jack looked back just as Alox snarled to get his father's attention, "Zreo, king of the Forsaken, my father: I challenge your reign, if you want to rule this land, kill or enslave all of the humans in it and become the dominate species, you will have to kill me first."

_"Sdnuos good to me, I cluod go for a ncie wa-mrup to get my croe heetad."_ Zreo laughed as his tail lashed out behind him, he bared his fangs as his orange eyes flashed wickedly. _"Yuor mevo, cbu."_

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_**An: Alright, it seems like the Guardians might be coming. This will be interesting... :/**_

_**Please let me know what you think of the characters, how the story is going and what you think will happen next along with what you **_**WANT ****_to happen next._**

**_Thanks for reading, please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D_**


	16. What must be done

_**An: Alright, I lost one follow. I'm not too sure why but I still have 28, maybe my rants drove them off. Oh, well! Onto the story. XD**_

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Just as the Guardians came into the large room, they saw not only Jack but also two massive creatures locked in battle. One was covered in bandages that were distinctly the work of none other than Bunny. Once Jack saw them he quickly rushed over to them, "Guys! We have to help Alox!" He shouted over the increasingly loud roars of the two Denxos.

"Woah, who's Alox?" Bunny asked as he torn his gaze from the two beasts just for a few moments.

Jack glanced back and winced as Zreo grazed Alox's shoulder with his claws, resulting in Alox to roar in agony as he was sent to the ground. "That one's Alox, he's in trouble!"

"The Flare? But I thought they were-."

"Please, Bunny!" Jack looked at his fellow Guardians with fear in his ice blue eyes, "He needs us…"

They all looked at Jack but then looked up as another pain filled roar sliced the air, they watched in terror as Zreo dug his fangs into Alox's neck, the crackle and crushing of bones piercing their ears. Alox cried out in agony as he struggled to be free of his father's grip, but the elder Denxo simply narrowed his eyes and bite down harder. Alox went still for a moment, the only sign that he was still alive was the soft glow still coming from his diming pupils.

"Alox…" Jack gasped causing the Flare to look up to him, he gave a sorrow-filled sigh and then he closed his eyes. Just when it seemed like he was done for, his chest glowed dimly and then Zreo's eyes widened as he released his son. But Alox wrapped his tail firmly around his father's hind-leg as he got shakily to his feet, blood cascading down his whole body as the bandages splashed onto the ground. Sending red sprays into the air where the droplets ended up on either the floor or one of the Denxos' faces.

"And to think, I thought that somewhere out there was the wonderful, thoughtful and caring Denxo that my mother always talked about." Alox growled as he limped over towards Zreo, the Denxo staring at him nervously until he said that last part. Zreo's lips curled back over his teeth as he glared at his son but Alox just continued, "Now, she may have every reason to disown me, but I will nevertheless make sure that you can't send the humans into extinction like you did to the Flares."

He then glowed dimly before he tackled Zreo, sending them both to the ground. Alox and Zreo both glowed with increasing intensity until they both were lit aflame, Zreo screeched in agony as he started to burn up. Alox merely narrowed his eyes and tried to concentrate as best that he could as he too started to wither in the flames.

"ALOX!" Jack yelled once the initial shock wore off, and, without even thinking, he started to run towards him.

"Jack!" Both North and Tooth shouted when Jack rushed forward.

"Oi!" Bunny said as he grabbed Jack's arm, he pulled him back and tried to keep him near the other Guardians as the winter-spirit struggled in his grasp.

"Let me go!" Jack snapped as he tried to get free once more, the chains and cuffs still secured on his wrists made a clicking noise as he struggled. "We can't just let him die!"

"Stop, mate! There's nothing we can do now!" Bunny yelled over the roars as he kept his grip on Jack's arm.

"But-." Jack started but then he was stopped when the light dimmed down, he looked back towards the spot where the two Denxos had been just moments ago. In their place were two orbs in the ribcages of two pile of bones, both of the orbs were a shade of orange but one was shattered all over the ground. The other orb was laying in a puddle of blood, a dim glow deep in it's core before it stopped glowing completely. "Alox…"

Bunny finally released Jack's arm and then the winter-spirit rushed over to the two piles of bones, he picked up the orb in his hands and then hung his head down in sorrow. And to think, the one who had framed him, almost ruined his life and had attacked all of those people, was the very same one who stopped his own father from either killing or enslaving all of the humans. Alox had just wanted his family, and in the end he defended them from the crazed Denxo.

Jack felt a hand on his right shoulder, he looked up just in time to see not only Bunny but the other Guardians as well. All looking at him with confused and worried expressions on their faces.

"Jack, what exactly happened?"

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_**An: And I kill off my own character...well, now is the time for the truth. Let's see how they will take it. :/**_

_**Thanks for reading, please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D**_


	17. Explanation

_**An: Alright guys, this story is starting to wrap up. :) I am already thinking of writing a prequel and at least one sequel, so please "follow," me to get more updates on when the stories are updated. :) Okay, onto the story! :D**_

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"...And then he told me that he could handle it, he said that no one would miss him…" Jack said, finishing his long story of all the events that had occurred since the first hospital attack. He still held the orange dull orb in his hands and had refused to have the Guardians take the cuffs off of his wrists. The other Guardians had decided to leave him be in those cases but they still felt entitled to some answers.

"So he framed you, killed and injured several people, trapped you and then his father comes along and he decides that set them both aflame was a good idea?" Bunny asked, catching everyone's attention as he continued, "And he dodged punishment too."

"Don't talk about him like he's some criminal!" Jack snapped much to the other Guardians' surprise, "He was just looking for his family, it's not his fault the Denxos told the people that the Flares had to be killed."

"What is your problem? He was bad news from the start, why would you-?"

"Stop it!" Jack shouted as he glared at Bunny, "If I had been in his position, I would have done the very same thing. I know what it's like to feel alone, to think that there's no one else out there for you. I know what it's like to be beat…"

"Jack…" Tooth whispered soothingly as she reached out a hand to him trying to comfort her fellow Guardian. But Jack just moved away and then stood up from the chair he had been sitting on.

"I'm going for a walk…" Jack mumbled as he grabbed his staff, he held the orb close to his body as he left the room and into the workshop of the Pole.

"Bunny, can't you see that he's hurt?" Tooth growled as she gave him a slight glare.

"Of course I can! I just don't understand why he is so upset about a Denxo...They were nothing but trouble back then and they still are now…" Bunny muttered but this only earned him another glare.

"If Jack cared about this one, then we should trust his judgement…" Tooth said but the word 'trust,' had gone stale recently.

The room went quiet as they all thought of ways to cheer the winter-spirit up, ironic considering that the very same spirit was one of joy and fun. But the depression that hung on him wore him down, he couldn't really understand it but he felt like everything had just gone completely wrong. None of this should have ever happened. It just didn't seem all that fair for Alox to be gone, it hadn't been his fault, at least in Jack's eyes. He could sympathize with the drive to find a family, luckily he had found his very own. But what about Alox?

All that he had found was his mother and some Neklt Flare and then only to be killed by his father. Some family…

Jack sat closed the door to the guest room in the workshop, he placed the orb on the bed and then kneeled next to the bedside. Brushing the orb's smooth surface with his chilling fingertips, "Why didn't you let me help you…? I could have convinced the Guardians to let you stay with us, you could have had a family again…" Jack muttered as liquid built up in his eyes, he knew that Alox would have been watched for every wrong move he made but at that moment he didn't care. He just wanted everything to turn out perfectly...why couldn't everything just be that simple?

Suddenly he heard a knock on his door, his eyes widened in surprise at first but then he sighed before speaking once again, his voice heavy from his sorrow: "What is it…?"

"Jack, we didn't get to tell you before but…" Bunny's voice trailed off and then Jack lifted his head from his arms.

"But what?" He asked, now curious at the very least.

"Your anniversary was just about a week ago now, and when trying to find a good gift for you Manny suggested one for you." Bunny said and then Jack stood up while looking at the door in confusion.

"What did he say?" Jack asked but his answer came not from the Guardians but from somewhere else.

_"You are granted one wish. Choose wisely, I know you can."_ The voice said and then Jack blinked as he looked around the room in startled surprise.

"What?" He asked and then he realized what had just happened, he looked out the window and then saw none other than the moon. He stood there for a few more moments, awestruck by what had just occurred.

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_**An: And yes, the fact that he talked is also an idea from LivingAliveCreator. The wish idea was from another author on this site, but I kind of forgot the details. ^^; Anyway, credit goes to them! :)**_

_**I wonder what Jack is going to wish for. :/**_

_**Anyway, thanks for reading, please review and I hope you liked this chapter! :D**_


	18. Wish

_**An: Alright, I have an announcement to make: Alox has his own Tumblr. You guys can go there and ask him stuff or whatever you want, the blog is "aloxtheflare," Please go check it out, And by the way...I made him do it. ;)**_

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This was his last chance, he just had to help him. And now he could, he could bring him back to this reality, and then he could have his family, Guardian or not. Jack would find a way to make him fit in, he had found his own way all those years ago, he could do it again. All these thoughts went through Jack's head as he carried the orb through the hallways of the Pole, he would meet Manny in the globe least, that's what he thought.

As he entered the room, Jack walked over to the control panel. He placed the orb in the center of the symbol on the ground where the crystal would usually come up from. He then stepped back before speaking up towards the moon once more, "I've decided on my wish, Manny. I want Alox to return, then he can have a family. He may not be a Guardian but he can still help us, can't he?"

It was no surprise to Jack when nothing happened, "Please Manny...I don't want him to stay all alone…"

_"He can not return me to this reality, Jack."_ A voice said just as a soft orange glow radiated from the orb, Jack gasped as he looked towards it and then to his surprise the voice continued. _"I am trapped between your world and the one and mother and Neklt are in. But this is where I need to be, I cannot move on until the Denxos and their king are vanquished. Until then I am in exile, but mourn me not. I can finally make up for my crimes."_

"But, Alox…"

_"No, you have other more important things to worry about. I have but a few more things to tell you before I depart once more. Please, if you will, keep this orb far from anyone with ill intentions. I fear that, should it fall into the wrong hands, they could awaken me and use me like a puppet. My flame has long died but people still fear the dragon, whether his belly be burning or not. I also ask that you find my scale that I lost four days ago, with it the holder could make an illusion that he or she is another creature. It will not enable a true transformation but it will fool the foolish. And, last but not least, collect the shattered remains of the orb of the king. Then lock them away, far from any heat or water. Our bones can be discarded or whatever you humans do with them, but keep them together. Now, I bid you farewell. May the wind be forever at your back."_

The orb slowly lost it's glow once more, leaving Jack alone in front of the globe as he pondered what had just happened. After a fleeting moment, Jack's hand slipped into his hoodie pocket and then his fingers curled over the slick and smooth surface. With a gentle grip, Jack pulled the scale out of his pocket and then he stared at it with heavy blue eyes. He brushed the scale's surface with his frozen fingers, dim frost danced on it's surface as his fingers slid over it's glossy finish.

He then gripped it in his palm before taking a deep breath and then walking out of the globe room, snatching the orb on his way out. He brushed past the yetis that were trudging through the hallways, his ice blue eyes narrowed as he drew blood from his lips as a few of his pure white teeth gnawed on the fragile skin. He didn't pay it any attention when some of the liquid slid down his throat. It didn't matter right now, neither did the waves of agony that traveled up and down his spine from his feet.

It was then that he realized just how beat up he really was, but he only gave it a moment to think about the pain before he continued on his mission. He would at least fulfill the wishes of Alox, maybe then he could further explain what was going on. Then, maybe he could return and have a family like Jack knew he deserved.

But that would have to wait until he was finished doing what Alox had asked of him, first off was finding a safe place for his orb. Then it was straight to find and collect Zreo's orb so that they could keep him from returning and causing trouble.

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_**An: Alright, this story is wrapping up. Any ideas for a sequel would be appreciated and I'm planning a prequel as well, please "follow," me for updates. Alright, I hope you liked this chapter, please check out the blog, thanks for reading and please review! :D**_


	19. Return

_**An: Okay, after this chapter there's only a short epilogue. I still need ideas for a sequel, but a prequel is still being planned. XD If you're interested in reading those, please "follow," me. And the Tumblr blog is still up, if anyone wants to ask Alox something. XD Anyway, onto the story! :D**_

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Jack floated next to the window of the house that had pretty much become his second home, he tapped on the window with his staff and then waited until a young man showed up and then pulled the window open. "Jack? What are you doing here?"

"I have to ask you something Jamie." Jack said as he flew past him and then landed on his bed, sitting criss-cross as Jamie shut the window once again.

"Well, if you're going to stay a while, let me turn the AC down." He commented as he crossed his arms, Jack frowned and then Jamie noticed something around his neck. "Hey, Jack. What's with the necklace?"

Jack glanced down and then brushed the grey scale that was now attached to a string around his neck. He sighed and then looked up to Jamie, "It's a long story, and I will tell you some other time. Now I need you to tell me if your dad found any shattered pieces in the ribcage of the bigger skeleton."

"What are you talking about? We only found the two skeletons, I have no idea what you are talking about." Jamie admitted and then was startled when Jack's eyes widened.

"What? You didn't find anything?"

"We found the bones, but they were shipped to the Smithsonian." Jamie told him and then Jack gulped. "Why is it so important?"

"I'll have to fill you in later, I have to go." Jack said and then he flew to the window, opened it and then flew out of it. "Thanks for the help, Jamie!"

"Uh, you're welcome!" Jamie called after him and then he closed the window again once Jack was out of sight, "He's been drinking too much eggnog again." He muttered to himself and then he went back to what he had been doing before the winter spirit barged in.

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_Last night…_

Chocolate claws raked the shattered pieces together into a pile, once all of the pieces were together a blue flame wrapped around the crystal. Solidifying it just before a pair of yellow eyes stared at the orb as a long tail wrapped around it, "Ah, yes. Awake my king, I will bring you back to your body. Then you can deliver us to the throne where we rightly belong!"

The orange orb glowed dimly at first but then it lit into a flame, the creature laughed at this and then spoke once more. "And I see that your core is boiling, he was a fool to give up all of his flame. Now you are stronger than ever, and once you are back with your body nothing will stand between you and the throne!"

The orb flickered as the creature cackled, a low volumed laugh could be heard from deep within the crystal...

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_**An: Alright, first thing's first: At this time I would think that Jamie is about 17-19, he did teach Jack stuff about computers. (I'm sure that was a very interesting experience for the both of them. XD) Which is why Jack was so good at it **_**_earlier. And I leave you with another cliffhanger. XD_**

**_Thanks for reading, please review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D_**


	20. Epilouge

_**An: 33 followers, 1 review per chapter. Where did all of the reviewers go? Oh well, this story is over now. And there are still no ideas for a sequel, I might still write a prequel but the odds of me posting it are slim. I'm not going to post it if no one will even bother reviewing, sorry but that's not how this works. Feedback is important, it's the truth. So now I have to see if I can fashion up a sequel for those who care, I might write a prequel for my own enjoyment.**_

_**Another rant but this point I don't really care, here's the epilogue. Thanks for the reviews, honestly they really helped. This was a fun ride, "follow," me for updates. And now onto the story.**_

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_The world works in many different and strange ways, fate often defies all logic, and our callings rarely become clear until the decision is upon us. The weak are left behind while the strong take the lead, but it is most often the weak that come up on top. The only turn pain was the one not felt by one's body, but inside the heart. Anyone who has lost someone knows the empty feeling that is soon filled with the crushing longing, we rarely know what we have until it is long gone._

_Keep all who you love close, there is always time for them. Make the best of every moment, every problem and be made a challenge with the ones you care for beside you. Accept help from them, never deny them the choice._

_I however, did deny him for his own sake. He had a family to return to, I had no one. But is that bad? Now that my mother and brother are gone, they can not mourn me. And Jack, he's mature enough to handle the guilt. And even as I wander, I can still see the subtle landmarks that prove that Frost had gone through._

_And sometimes the wind allows me to ride it's currents as well, this is extremely helpful for when I'm on patrol._

_I may not be a Guardian, but I will protect these humans from my father._

_My name is Alox,_

_And I am a Seeker._

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**_An: Alright, now it's done! "Follow," for updates, and, not that anyone would do it, I'd really like it if some of you guys write or draw something for this story. But then again, no one probably cares and I'm probably just being selfish. Whatever, it's done, goodbye for now everyone. (And thanks for the feedback, this was a fun ride.)_**


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